The FAA said SpaceX did not follow safety-related license agreements during two launches last year.
In June 2023, the FAA said the aerospace company used a launch control room without approval during a mission to launch Indonesian satellites and did not do a readiness poll two hours prior to launch. For these two alleged penalties, the FAA proposed $175,000 for each violation.
A month later, the agency said SpaceX used unapproved rocket propellant when launching the geostationary satellite Echo-Star 24 into orbit. For the unapproved propellant, the FAA proposed a civil penalty fee totaling $283,009.
The FAA said in a news release that SpaceX has thirty days to respond after receiving the enforcement letters. The penalties are $633,009 for allegedly going against the FAA license agreements.
SpaceX has not responded to the release or made public comment in regard to the civil penalties.
“Safety drives everything we do at the FAA, including a legal responsibility for the safety oversight of companies with commercial space transportation licenses,” said FAA Chief Counsel Marc Nichols in the administration's release. “Failure of a company to comply with the safety requirements will result in consequences.”
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